5 Things to Know Before Selecting an eSignature Vendor

You just printed a 30-page agreement, signed it with a pen, walked back to the same printer to scan the signed version and got a PDF file ready for emailing.

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Productive or painful?

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Although some would think they were being productive, I choose the latter. Luckily there are ways to solve this. Since 2011, HelloSign has been streamlining the approval of legal docs and contracts across all industries and company sizes by taking documents online. And though every company will have unique customer agreements, approval workflows, HR paperwork, etc. most start their eSign journey by asking “Where do I get started?”

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Whether you're just beginning your research, or nearing a final decision there are a few eSign criteria you'll want to keep in the back of your mind.

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1. What documents require signatures/approvals?

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Start by gathering all of the documents. Make sure all docs are scanned and ready to be sent to the rep that you are working with. Your rep will need this info to know how many templates your account would need to scale your business effectively.

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2. How many times do these documents get signed?

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It is important to have your metrics ready when choosing an electronic signature solution. The majority of the DTM and eSign companies in the market have tiered subscriptions which means the more you use the more you pay. These metrics may be hard to come by, but a guesstimate will be better than nothing.

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3. What features or integrations matter most to you?

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If your sales contract process is managed through a 3rd party CRM or your ATS manages all tax docs and offer letters, make sure your rep is aware. The overall eSign market is heavily focused on plug 'n' play integrations that can be setup in minutes. You can leverage these integrations to merge information into your docs programmatically, monitor progress and maintain the completed docs in one repository. When speaking to your rep, let them know your base case scenario and they will point you in the right direction.

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4. Does my business accept eSignatures?

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When working with your rep, it's important to be clear on any compliance and regulatory requirements that are enforced by your organization. Some examples include HIPPA compliance for medical related information, data storage, GDPR compliance of data security in the UK and so on.

Want to Test it Out?

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Choosing the right electronic signature can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 30 months depending on the use case, company size, internal selection process, etc. But these five questions apply to everyone single use case and should be addressed well before the first intro or demo call. If you want to test out HelloSign before you reach out we offer a free trial for our pro and business plans. Start your 30-day trial here. Or get started with a free plan here and enjoy three free documents a month.